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Campbell to Preston, 12 October 1774
From Thwaites and Kellog, 1905:244-247 See Letters of Dunmore's War for other letters in T&K. Maj. Arthur Campbell to Col. William Preston. Drapers MSC:]:3QQ118 ROYAL-OAK Oct. 12th 1774. Yesterday your letter by Mr. Cummins and instructions by John Kinkead came to hand; which Instructions I will strictly adhere to, as far as I think your general intentions for the protection of the whole Frontier will anywise admit. Yesterday also I had an Express from Clynch, with the following intelligence. Thursday ye. 6th. Ins. at Blackmores one Deal Carter was killed and Scalped within 55 Steps of the Fort. Mr. Anderson who had a man with him, fired at the Indian as he was Scalping the Man killed, while the other Man shot at another Indian. The Indians fired several shots at Anderson & the other, when they fired off the Bastion at them. The Indians had like to done Andersons Job, having struck into the stockade a few Inches from his Head. Evidently the indians intentions was to have made a bold push to enter the Fort as the People was chiefly all some distance away from the Gate upon Logs, the Enemy it seems had silently crept along under Bank of the River completely out of view, until poor Carter discovered them, he immediately commenced hallooing Murder; one Gun fired and missed — another shot him thro the Thigh, but not mortal, he could not Escape, as he was too lame. One fellow more bold than the rest, soon ran up and tomahaked and scalped him, the remainder of the enemy escaped at the distance of about l00 Yds. and fired as mentioned before. The next day Capt. Smith came to Blackmores wittì a party of 30 men in connection with Boon; The Night afterwards they had Six horses out of Seven taken out (by the Indians) of a small inclosure, which the Fort Walls made part, the next Morning early Captn. Smith & Boon set out with 26 choice Hands greatly anxious to proceed; they found some footing and Horse tracts not far distant from the Fort, which I hope they will be able to trace & enable them to overtake the Enemy; Mr. Anderson also informs me, that an Indian was seen behind a Smith Shop at Blackmores Sunday Qth. at break of Day. This unlucky affair happened when there were but few men in the Fort and Capt. Looney happened to be in this settlement, & Lieut. Cox had not got out. It is remarkable that Capt. Shelbys Wench was taken the Same day, and about the same time of the Day, that this affair happened on Clinch (71) so many attacks in so short a time, give the inhabitants very alarming apprehensions; Christian's Fine Stock of Cattle, and Horses is missing; a considerable number of the Cattle and Horses about the Fort, is either killed or carryed off; Want of Ammunition and scarcity of provisions again become a general Cry ; Since I began this Letter I am mortified with the Sight of a Family flying by. If Ammunition don't come soon, I will- have no Argument that will have any force to detain them. If our Army is not able to keep a Garrison at Point Pleasant & the Falls the ensuing Winter, I expect we shall be troubled with similar visits the greatest part of the ensuing Season. It is more than probable that all these late attacks were made by the Indians, that fled from the upper Shawanese town observed. I expect in a day or two to receive Some intelligence from the Cherokees, as the messenger was expected back Yesterday at from that quarter. I am Dear Sir ARTHUR CAMPBELL P. S. I have sent you inclosed Logins Original Letter which came to hand this Day. A. C. The Words of the Original Letter (72) To CAPTAIN CRKSSAP—What did you kill my people on Yellow Creek for. The white People killed my kin at Coneestoga a great while ago, (78) & I thoughnothing of that. But you killed my kin again on Yellow Creek, and took mcousin prisoner then I thought I must kill too; and I have been three timeto war since but the Indians is not Angry only myself. CAPTAIN JOHLOGAN July 21st Day. 71 The two attacks were at places more than forty miles apart.—ED. (72) This is a contemporary copy, somewhat torn, apparently made by Colonel Preston from the original letter sent to him by Major Campbell; it is upon the lower half of the latter's letter. This is, probably, the most authentic transcript of this well-known document. The letter was written by a prisoner named William Robinson, who was captured on the Monongahela July 12, carried to the Indian towns, saved from the stake by Logan, and adopted into an Indian family. For his deposition in regard to these circumstances, see American Pioneer, i. pp. 14-16, 208; or Jefferson, Notes on Virginia (later editions), appendix. The letter was left at the house of Roberts, where the massacre occurred Sept, 24th. See letters of Harry Innés and Benjamin Sharp, op. cit. Judge Innés has evidently confused the date of the receipt with that of the writing of the letter.—ED. (73) Logan here refers to what was known as the Paxton riot in 1763, when twenty inoffensive Conestoga Indians were killed by a border mob. See Parkman, Half Century of Conflict, ii, pp. 115-128.—ED. Category:Dunmore's War